As part of the Peace Summit in Switzerland, a discussion panel "Humanitarian Dimension. The Release of Prisoners and Deportees" was held.
The moderator of the event, Senior Advisor to the Head of the Presidential Office Dariia Zarivna, noted that the mass abduction of Ukrainian children and the system of brutal torture of prisoners used by the Russian occupiers are the essence of Russian imperialism and true signs of genocide.
"There is no flag large enough to cover the shame of killing innocent people." These are the words of the American historian Howard Zinn. And killing innocent people by torture is not just a shame, it is sheer barbarism," she said.
Three Ukrainians shared their experiences as a result of Russian aggression with the panelists.
Vladyslav Buriak, now 18 years old, told how he spent 90 days in Russian captivity after being abducted at a checkpoint in Vasylivka. In captivity, he was subjected to horrific torture and abuse. But despite this, he did not lose his resilience and unwavering spirit and supported other prisoners.
Maksym Kolesnykov, a 45-year-old serviceman, spent almost a year in Russian captivity. During 321 days of captivity, he lost 32 kilograms.
The man said he was captured at the beginning of the full-scale invasion. He was repeatedly interrogated, deprived of food and abused in a detention center in the Bryansk region of Russia. But eventually Ukraine was able to bring him home.
Serhiy Haidarzhy, a Baptist from Odesa, shared his loss. His wife Anna and four-month-old son Tymofiy were killed in a Russian drone attack. He also recently told his story to Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Mike Johnson during a meeting.
Prosecutor General of Ukraine Andriy Kostin emphasized that law enforcement officers have already documented nearly 130,000 cases of war crimes committed by the Russian occupiers, including 301 cases of sexual violence. Russian invaders have killed more than 12 thousand civilians, including 551 children. This is only confirmed data.
Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets emphasized that all people in Russian captivity are subjected to systematic torture. There is evidence of at least 14,000 such cases.